NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

I trongkon niyok, i trongkon lina'la para i taotao gi i Tasin Pasifiku. Anggen manbetde yan manggaila'la' este na trongko, manggaila'la' yan mabrabu lokkue' i Chamorro siha. Lao anggen un atan este na trongko siha pa'go gi isla-ta, ti manbrabrabu, mismo manmalalangu. Across Facebook for months I've seen posts lamenting the state of Guam's coconut trees. The rhino beetle has infested the island and is slowly destroying this essential island trees from within. Asan Beach, a site that 70 years ago was obliterated in the American re-invasion of the island during I Tiempon Chapones, has become synonymous with scattered coconut trees as much as military relics. Earlier this year, the Department of Agriculture began cutting down trees there that were infested with the rhino beetle. As I kept reading these updates a particular image kept popping into my head. I wrote about it on my own Facebook: I want to translate "Fake Plastic Trees" by Ra

I've always thought it very interesting, that of all the things I write about on this blog, the posts which elicit the most comments or negative feedback are one's dealing with the Chamorro language. Its so strange, because I say some pretty negative things about the United States, militarization and have some pretty radical political and social positions compared to most Chamorros, but I don't get much feedback in that direction. Most of it is all related to me mis-using the language, abusing it, not speaking it or spelling it authentically, sabotaging it or perpetuating poor grammar or English-affect Chamorro. Its possible, that I could simply be the worst speaker of Chamorro in the world, and all of these people are angels who are doing the Lord's work in protecting the Chamorro people from my evil damaging influence. Sina, lao hu dududa este. One of the reasons that I think this may be the case, is that unlike issues of history, culture, politics and current even

Este i fine'nina na chinagi para este na betsu, bai hu na'lamaolek later. Yanggen un chagi kumanta este, kanta gui' gi i tune "Call me, Call me," tinige' Si Yoko Kanno ginnen Cowboy Bopeep/Bebop. Agang yu' Manmahuchom i mata'-hu lao sigi ha' Annok hao, ya mikilot-mu Humalom kombalachi ya mala'mok Lao masi'eng hao, un na'fitme Agang, agang, sotta hinasso-ku Agang, agang, na'ketu yu' guatu Ya bei hu ketungo' I siniente ni' huma'lak yu' Hafa bidada-mu? Kumonne' yu' guenao guatu? Un na'i yu' esta korason-mu Lao nai manhoben hit, lao sigi ha' magahet? Dos diha mit desde ma'pos hao Achokka' ti ya-mu, bei hu aligao Agang, Agang, na'tungo' mangge hao Agang, Agang, chalani yu' guatu guenao Ti bei sotta hao Esta ki un admite Isao-mu Nai un dingu yu'